Just Be Yourself

“Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself.” I saw this quote posted on the Banish Acne Scars Instagram feed the other day and I thought to myself, “I need to start living by this.” Lately, I have been glued to Instagram and find myself getting lost in the “insta feeds” of many women with beautiful skin. I go from one account to the next and always end my search feeling ugly and annoyed with my skin. I often come across profiles of women who have incredible success stories with their acne. While I truly am happy for those women, I always think “why them and not me?” Selfish, I know.

Then there are the women on Instagram that don’t have flawless skin, but their confidence and zest for life is apparent in every picture. This makes them just as beautiful as those with a clear complexion. I have come to realize that beauty really does begin when you decide to be yourself. Although my skin does not look like I would like it to, I need to stop letting this put a damper on other aspects of my life. I have so many wonderful friends, an amazing husband and family, and am blessed beyond words. I am learning that I need to stop being a victim of my circumstances and simply enjoy the wonderful life I have been given. There are too many social events that I have skipped out on because of my skin. I think I am a pretty fun person and I need to start giving myself the benefit of the doubt.

What if my personality is the first thing that people notice about me, and not my acne? It would be a shame for me to keep missing out on fun experiences and meeting new people just because of a few red bumps on my face. Today marks the day that I will start being true to myself and simply living and loving life. If you struggle with acne and find yourself missing out on fun opportunities each day just because you are embarrassed by your skin, I encourage you to think twice before you choose to stay home over a night out with friends. Be confident in who you are because you are beautiful, unique, and one of a kind. Make today the day that you are true to yourself and discover where true beauty lies. Get off of Facebook and Instagram, and enjoy some time outside. Call up your friends and plan a spontaneous getaway! The sky is the limit, and your skin does not have to hold you back any longer!